The Tree in a Test Tube (1942)

Overrated and overhyped

disgusting, overrated, pointless

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

THE TREE IN A TEST TUBE is an odd title for an odd WW2 propaganda short starring the one and only Laurel & Hardy. This feature, which runs for just a few minutes in length, has the distinction of being the only ever Laurel & Hardy production shot in colour (not counting the films that were later 'colourised' through that dodgy process).This short features a narrator explaining the uses of wood in war-time while Laurel & Hardy mime discovering the possessions they have which are made from trees. There was no budget for this and it shows; it was shot in a parking log on a lunch hour. The boys are noticeably aged and perhaps it's just the camera but they look advanced and quite elderly. Sadly, there's no chance for their natural humour to shine in what is a rather worthless effort.

Laurel and Hardy's short film "The Tree in a Test Tube" is a five-minute, partially-complete video from the U.S. Department of Agriculture concerning the ubiquity of products made or manufactured from wood or wood byproducts in the American economy at the time (1942, right near the end of World War II). The short focuses on Laurel and Hardy, seen in color, their only surviving color project known at this time, who are suddenly stopped by the voice of MGM announcer and producer Pete Smith, who asks the two men if they have any products made from wood on them. The two men shake their heads no in total bemusement, but realize, once Smith gets started on his didactic lesson, that between their wallets, shoes, and hats, they bear numerous products containing wood on them."The Tree in the Test Tube" is an interesting short for many reasons, other than being almost a blatant piece of World War II-era propaganda. For starters, as mentioned, it's the only surviving color film starring Laurel and Hardy. Secondly, this was shot on the backlot of Twentieth Century-Fox in November 1941 when Laurel and Hardy were on their lunchbreak. And, finally, this short was due to be lengthier, but the bulk of it was lost and never recovered.Due to the clearer photography, which also benefits from color, we can see Laurel and Hardy begin to show their age in the short as well, with more wrinkles to their faces and the occasional mugs of sheer exhaustion on their faces. Nonetheless, they were troopers to commit themselves to this particular side project on their lunchbreak, and I have a feeling if they were alive today, they'd have to do a video showing how many of the products we use on a daily basis contain corn on the backlot of Warner Bros., just to even the score. This short is a curious piece of film and Laurel and Hardy history and should be viewed and judged on that more than the quality of the film and its overall story/goal.Starring: Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Directed by: Charles McDonald.

The film consists of a narrator talking to Laurel and Hardy. The boys say nothing much (other than a laugh) and it was made on grainy color film for release in the theaters during WWII to educate (and bore) audiences on the importance of having wood.This was a Pete Smith Specialty--one of many Pete Smith shorts made during the 1940s. Compared to the other Pete Smith shorts I have seen, this one manages to be even duller--even though it uses Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy to demonstrate that they've got wood in practically everything they are carrying--such as rayons, pressed wood, etc. In many ways, it looks like a film that should have been made for a wood products convention, as no other human beings could possibly find this interesting. In fact, tedious is probably the best description of the short. Even die-hard fans of Laurel and Hardy (like myself) would find this excruciating and you can't detect even the faintest whiff of a laugh.

It seems pretty odd as to why both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy ever agreed to be in this little propaganda movie, to promote wood and wood by-products, for the use of average everyday products.Thing that this movie taught me the most is that Laurel & Hardy don't look good in color. This movie is from 1943 and Laurel & Hardy were already both well over 50 at the time. Their age normally doesn't really show but it does so in this color movie. They really didn't look well and looked old- and stiff in their movements. They really seemed out of place in this movie but yet the obviously still make the movie an interesting and fun one to watch. It's certainly better than normally 'education' and war-time propaganda movies.I also can't deny that this movie is educational. This movie surely taught me some things I didn't knew about wood yet. Not that I'm really interested in it of course but it's still sort of fun to know all. Laurel & Hardy's presence definitely added to the educational level of this movie. They show everything in a fun and quick way, although none of it obviously ever gets hilarious or terribly interesting.It's still a sort of good movie that is made interesting and effective by Laurel & Hardy's presence but it's still sort of sad to see them in this. Alreading getting older and long since over their prime. The only reason they seem to be in this is because of the money. Still the movie remains a sort of collectors item, since it's the only theatrical movie from Laurel & Hardy in full color.I have some mixed feelings about this movie. Laurel & Hardy seem terribly out of place but yet at the same time they're the only reason why this movie is still an effective and interesting one. Therefor I rate it a 'safe' 6 out of 10.6/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/